House Speaker Mike Johnson faces intense Democratic opposition over proposed changes to House rules that would restrict the power to initiate a speaker's removal.
According to Axios, a contentious 36-page rules package for the 119th Congress would allow only Republican lawmakers to file a motion to vacate, effectively limiting the ability to challenge the speaker's position to members of the majority party.
The proposed change would require nine Republican co-sponsors to initiate a motion to vacate, marking a significant departure from historical precedent. This modification stems from an agreement reached among House Republican factions during Johnson's nomination for speaker in November.
Representative Jim McGovern, the leading Democrat on the House Rules Committee, strongly criticized the proposed changes.
He emphasized the partisan nature of the move through his statement:
This makes it clear that they have no intention of working together to find common ground. Instead of electing a Speaker of the House, they have decided to elect a Speaker of the Republican Conference—held hostage by their most extreme members.
Democrats are expected to present a united front against the rules package, with party leaders expressing grave concerns about its implications for bipartisan cooperation and democratic processes.
Representative Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, characterized the proposal as unprecedented and potentially damaging to democratic principles.
The motion to vacate has undergone several modifications throughout U.S. history. Prior to 2019, any House member could introduce such a motion. The rule changed under Democratic control, requiring party caucus approval, before reverting to single-member authority under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023.
Representative Jared Moskowitz warned of potential consequences, suggesting that the rule change could establish a dangerous precedent for future sessions. He emphasized that previous challenges to Speaker Johnson came from within his own party, not from Democrats.
The situation is particularly precarious given Johnson's slim majority of 219-215 and the presence of approximately twelve Republican holdouts for the upcoming speaker election. The rules package vote, scheduled for January 3, faces additional challenges from right-wing Republicans opposing provisions related to the International Criminal Court.
The House is poised for a crucial vote on the speaker position and the rules package on January 3. Johnson's success in implementing these changes depends on maintaining support within his narrow majority while managing internal party dissent and Democratic opposition.
The modification of controversial rules reflects deeper tensions within Congress and raises questions about the future of bipartisan cooperation. Representative Becca Balint suggested that the proposed changes indicate Johnson's precarious position within his own party and his perceived need to consolidate power through procedural changes.
This major shift in House procedures centers on Speaker Mike Johnson's attempt to modify the motion to vacate process, requiring nine Republican co-sponsors for any challenge to his leadership. The proposal has created a sharp divide between Republican leadership and Democratic members, who view it as an unprecedented restriction on traditional House procedures.
